Even though the courthouse and other county facilities are open, please consider using mail, email, the internet, or just a phone call. This will help to avoid spread of the Coronavirus. Please use the list below to learn more. Thank you!
Pay your property taxes by mail:
Please send us your check and the tear stubs from the bottom of your Official Tax notices to the Codington County Treasurer’s Office, 14 1st Ave SE, Watertown, SD 57201. If you are unsure about the amount due please call or email our office at 605-882-6285 or Treasurer@Codington.org. You can also use the online payment link on this page to verify your tax amounts. If you send us a stamped self-addressed envelope, a receipt will be mailed to you.
Renew vehicle license by mail:
Please send us your check and the renewal notice that you were mailed by the Division of Motor Vehicles to the Codington County Treasurer’s Office, 14 1st Ave SE, Watertown, SD 57201. If you did not receive or can’t locate the renewal notices please call or email our office at 605-882-6285 or Treasurer@Codington.org. If you mail us a stamped self-addressed envelope, the mailing fee for your renewals will be waived.
Click here to pay Property Taxes Online
Click here to renew Vehicle Tags Online
Treasurer
Carol Maloney
14 1st Ave. SE
Room 110
Watertown, SD 57201-3611
(605) 882-6285
(605) 882-6288 (FAX)
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Monday through Friday
The Treasurer is a collector of taxes and has the duty to receive all money belonging to the county from whatever source (taxes, lien payments, etc.). The Treasurer maintains accounting records and is responsible for county fund investment. The Treasurer and Auditor work in conjunction to pay county bills. The County Treasurer is responsible for issuing motor vehicle registrations and licenses along with reporting them to the SD Division of Motor Vehicles. The Treasurer is also responsible for recording all liens, canceling liens, and duplicate titles.
Real Estate Tax Program
Real estate tax notices are mailed to property owners in January. Taxes in South Dakota are due and payable the first of January, however the first half of property tax payments are accepted until April 30th without penalty. The second half of property tax payments will be accepted until October 31st without penalty. All special assessments are due in full on or before April 30. In addition, all taxes under $50 are due and payable in full on or before April 30.
Please keep in mind that taxes that are not postmarked by April 30th and October 31st, respectively, are considered delinquent. If you mail your payment on time and the post office fails to postmark it by those dates, it will be considered a late payment. If April 30th or October 31st fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, according to state law it is up to you to make arrangements to get your payment to the Treasurer’s office by 5pm of the last working day of the month.
If you wish to pay your property taxes online instead of in person or through the mail that is possible. You can click on the link to the GovTech Services Inc website below. You can either search by your name or you can list the specific properties you want to pay using the record numbers from the top of each of your tax notices. If you choose to use the record number and you have multiple parcels you are searching for, you will separate each record number using a comma (,). Whether you use name or record number to search for your parcels please make sure you are selecting the correct property. If you have any questions please give our office a call. The link to the GovTech Services Inc website that is processing your online credit card payments is: www.govtechtaxpro.com/parceldetail.php?idCounty=42029
Motor Vehicles
The Treasurer’s office titles and licenses all new and used motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, snowmobiles, and boats. Our office also records and releases liens placed on vehicles.
Titling Your Vehicle in South Dakota
South Dakota residents have 45 days from the date of purchase of a new or used motor vehicle to transfer the title into their name. A penalty of $1.00 per week up to 26 weeks will be assessed for late transfers. The penalty for a transfer after 26 weeks is $50.00. Interest on the 4% excise tax will also be assessed on any title transfers done after 45 days. For each month or part thereof for which the tax payment is late, interest at the rate of 1.25% or $5.00, whichever is greater, for the first month, and 1.25% per month thereafter on any application made after 45 days from the date the vehicle is purchased will be added. A one-time penalty equal to 10% of the tax or $10.00, whichever is greater, is automatically applied against any application made after 60 days from the purchase date.
A 4% excise tax is imposed on most motor vehicle transactions unless they qualify for an exemption. The tax is based on the purchase price of the motor vehicle listed on the bill of sale, purchase order, or sales contract. All vehicles 10 model years or newer are taxed, regardless of the purchase price. Vehicles which are 11 or more model years old, may be exempt from the 4% excise tax if the bill of sale indicates a price of $2,500 or less. Credit is given for trade-ins.
Additional information regarding the titling process and the forms necessary to title your vehicle can be found at https://dor.sd.gov/individuals/motor-vehicle/
Vehicle Registration Renewals
Registration on commercial, non-commercial vehicles and trailers, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and boats are done on a staggered licensing system based on the first letter of the owner’s last name, or in the case of a business, on the beginning letter of the business name.
Renewal months are as follows:
- A, B – January
- C, D, E – February
- F, G, J – March
- H, I, O – May
- K, L – June
- M, N – July
- P, Q, R – August
- S – September
- T thru Z – November
You can do your vehicle registration renewals in person or by mail at the Codington County Treasurer’s office. License renewals can be done in the Treasurer’s Office Monday thru Friday,except for Holidays, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 14 First AVE SE, Watertown, SD.
A second option is to renew online through the South Dakota Motor Vehicles Division website at: https://mysdcars.sd.gov. A third option available in Codington County is to use the Division of Motor Vehicles’ Self-Service Terminal (SST) located in the Hy-Vee Foods Store in Watertown. The SST is available 24/7 and can be used by anyone regardless of county residence.
You can renew your tags 90 days before their expiration and up to 9 months after they have expired through the state’s website or through the Self-Service Terminals. If your registration has been expired for more than 9 months you will need to contact the Treasurer’s Office.